Can you apply for unemployment if you quit a job - NYS Department of Labor eligibility question
I'm really confused about this whole situation. I had to quit my retail job last month because my manager was making the workplace completely toxic and I couldn't take it anymore. Now I'm struggling to pay rent and my friend told me I might still be able to get unemployment benefits even though I quit? I thought you could only get UI if you got fired or laid off. Has anyone successfully gotten approved by NYS Department of Labor after quitting their job? What do I need to prove to them?
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McKenzie Shade
Yes, you can potentially qualify for unemployment benefits even if you quit, but it has to be for what NYS Department of Labor considers "good cause." The key is proving you had no reasonable alternative but to quit. For your situation with a toxic workplace, you'd need to document harassment, unsafe conditions, or other serious issues. You should definitely file a claim - the worst they can say is no, but you might have a case if you can provide evidence of the workplace problems.
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Caden Turner
•Thank you! I do have some text messages from coworkers about the manager's behavior and I reported issues to HR twice but nothing changed. Should I include all of that when I file?
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Harmony Love
i quit my job too last year and got denied at first but then i appealed and won! the adjudication process took forever though like 6 weeks before they made a decision
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Caden Turner
•Really? What kind of documentation did you need for the appeal? I'm worried they'll just automatically deny me since I quit.
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Rudy Cenizo
The NYS Department of Labor looks at several factors for "good cause" quits: significant changes to your job duties, unsafe working conditions, harassment, discrimination, or situations where continuing work would cause harm to your health or safety. Document everything you can - emails, witness statements, HR reports, medical records if stress affected your health. When you file your weekly claim, be honest about quitting but explain the circumstances thoroughly in the additional information section.
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Natalie Khan
•This is exactly right. I used to work for a law firm that handled unemployment appeals. The key is showing you made reasonable efforts to resolve the issues before quitting. Sounds like reporting to HR twice would help your case.
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Daryl Bright
ugh the whole system is so frustrating though!! even when you have good cause they make you jump through so many hoops and the adjudication takes FOREVER. I've been waiting 4 weeks just to hear back about my claim and can't get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor on the phone
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Sienna Gomez
•I had the same problem trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor about my adjudication status. Ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person in like 20 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Honestly saved my sanity because I was getting nowhere calling myself.
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Daryl Bright
•Wait seriously? How much does something like that cost? I'm already broke from not working.
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Kirsuktow DarkBlade
File the claim ASAP regardless! Even if your initial claim gets denied, you'll have your application date locked in. The appeals process exists for exactly these situations where there's good cause for quitting. Don't let anyone tell you not to apply just because you quit - that's not how it works with NYS Department of Labor.
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